IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v117y2016ip2p361-368.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Economic assessment of a solid oxide fuel cell system for biogas utilization in sewage plants

Author

Listed:
  • Hauptmeier, Karl
  • Penkuhn, Mathias
  • Tsatsaronis, George

Abstract

Fuel cells are likely to make their market introduction through high-efficiency applications in niche markets. A possible market for SOFC systems is therefore the utilization of biogas from sewage treatment plants. However, the feasibility of fuel cell applications crucially depends on the gas cleaning system. A system layout for SOFC integration is derived from an existing fuel cell system for biogas utilization, providing a feasible design for gas cleaning for contaminant removal and data on different operation regimes. The resulting SOFC plant provides electricity and heat for on-site usage at the sewage plant by cogeneration. The SOFC system is then analyzed at system level regarding its economic viability compared to a conventional CHP system. Costing for the different system components is made using cost data and literature-based estimates. Different design studies concerning system size and a subsequent sensitivity study concerning decisive economic parameters are used to provide robust decision measures. The study shows that economic feasibility of an SOFC system for biogas utilization can be achieved without subsidies in the near future if SOFC system prices are reduced from 7000 to about 3000 EUR/kWel. It is further shown that smaller SOFC systems are preferable due to their current economies of scale.

Suggested Citation

  • Hauptmeier, Karl & Penkuhn, Mathias & Tsatsaronis, George, 2016. "Economic assessment of a solid oxide fuel cell system for biogas utilization in sewage plants," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 117(P2), pages 361-368.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:117:y:2016:i:p2:p:361-368
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2016.05.072
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544216306892
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2016.05.072?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Arduino, Francesco & Santarelli, Massimo, 2016. "Total cost of ownership of CHP SOFC systems: Effect of installation context," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 213-228.
    2. Wang, Yun & Chen, Ken S. & Mishler, Jeffrey & Cho, Sung Chan & Adroher, Xavier Cordobes, 2011. "A review of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: Technology, applications, and needs on fundamental research," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(4), pages 981-1007, April.
    3. Papadias, Dionissios D. & Ahmed, Shabbir & Kumar, Romesh, 2012. "Fuel quality issues with biogas energy – An economic analysis for a stationary fuel cell system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 257-277.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Giarola, Sara & Forte, Ornella & Lanzini, Andrea & Gandiglio, Marta & Santarelli, Massimo & Hawkes, Adam, 2018. "Techno-economic assessment of biogas-fed solid oxide fuel cell combined heat and power system at industrial scale," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 689-704.
    2. Jia, Junxi & Shu, Lingyun & Zang, Guiyan & Xu, Lijun & Abudula, Abuliti & Ge, Kun, 2018. "Energy analysis and techno-economic assessment of a co-gasification of woody biomass and animal manure, solid oxide fuel cells and micro gas turbine hybrid system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 750-761.
    3. Su, Bosheng & Han, Wei & Zhang, Xiaosong & Chen, Yi & Wang, Zefeng & Jin, Hongguang, 2018. "Assessment of a combined cooling, heating and power system by synthetic use of biogas and solar energy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 922-935.
    4. Su, Bosheng & Han, Wei & He, Hongzhou & Jin, Hongguang & Chen, Zhijie & Zheng, Jieqing & Yang, Shaohui & Zhang, Xiaodong, 2020. "Using moderate carbon dioxide separation to improve the performance of solar-driven biogas reforming process," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    5. Wang, Yuqing & Wehrle, Lukas & Banerjee, Aayan & Shi, Yixiang & Deutschmann, Olaf, 2021. "Analysis of a biogas-fed SOFC CHP system based on multi-scale hierarchical modeling," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 78-87.
    6. Herz, Gregor & Reichelt, Erik & Jahn, Matthias, 2017. "Design and evaluation of a Fischer-Tropsch process for the production of waxes from biogas," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 370-381.
    7. Chatrattanawet, Narissara & Saebea, Dang & Authayanun, Suthida & Arpornwichanop, Amornchai & Patcharavorachot, Yaneeporn, 2018. "Performance and environmental study of a biogas-fuelled solid oxide fuel cell with different reforming approaches," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 131-140.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wang, Yujie & Sun, Zhendong & Li, Xiyun & Yang, Xiaoyu & Chen, Zonghai, 2019. "A comparative study of power allocation strategies used in fuel cell and ultracapacitor hybrid systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    2. Peng, Fei & Zhao, Yuanzhe & Li, Xiaopeng & Liu, Zhixiang & Chen, Weirong & Liu, Yang & Zhou, Donghua, 2017. "Development of master-slave energy management strategy based on fuzzy logic hysteresis state machine and differential power processing compensation for a PEMFC-LIB-SC hybrid tramway," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 346-363.
    3. Zhang, Xiaoqing & Yang, Jiapei & Ma, Xiao & Zhuge, Weilin & Shuai, Shijin, 2022. "Modelling and analysis on effects of penetration of microporous layer into gas diffusion layer in PEM fuel cells: Focusing on mass transport," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PA).
    4. Liao, Shuxin & Qiu, Diankai & Yi, Peiyun & Peng, Linfa & Lai, Xinmin, 2022. "Modeling of a novel cathode flow field design with optimized sub-channels to improve drainage for proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    5. Papurello, Davide & Lanzini, Andrea & Drago, Davide & Leone, Pierluigi & Santarelli, Massimo, 2016. "Limiting factors for planar solid oxide fuel cells under different trace compound concentrations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 67-78.
    6. Zheng Huang & Laisuo Su & Yunjie Yang & Linsong Gao & Xinyu Liu & Heng Huang & Yubai Li & Yongchen Song, 2023. "Three-Dimensional Simulation on the Effects of Different Parameters and Pt Loading on the Long-Term Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-22, February.
    7. Vasallo, Manuel Jesús & Bravo, José Manuel & Andújar, José Manuel, 2013. "Optimal sizing for UPS systems based on batteries and/or fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 170-181.
    8. Bae, Suk Joo & Kim, Seong-Joon & Lee, Jin-Hwa & Song, Inseob & Kim, Nam-In & Seo, Yongho & Kim, Ki Buem & Lee, Naesung & Park, Jun-Young, 2014. "Degradation pattern prediction of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack with series reliability structure via durability data of single cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 48-55.
    9. Yan, Peijian & Tian, Pengfei & Cai, Cheng & Zhou, Shenghu & Yu, Xinhai & Zhao, Shuangliang & Tu, Shan-Tung & Deng, Chengwei & Sun, Yi, 2020. "Antioxidative and stable PdZn/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst coatings concerning methanol steam reforming for fuel cell-powered vehicles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    10. Bolouri, Amir & Kang, Chung Gil, 2014. "Study on dimensional and corrosion properties of thixoformed A356 and AA7075 aluminum bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 616-628.
    11. Yuan, Wei & Tang, Yong & Yang, Xiaojun & Wan, Zhenping, 2012. "Porous metal materials for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells – A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 309-329.
    12. Luka Mihanović & Željko Penga & Lei Xing & Viktor Hacker, 2021. "Combining Baffles and Secondary Porous Layers for Performance Enhancement of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-28, June.
    13. Calbry-Muzyka, Adelaide & Tarik, Mohamed & Gandiglio, Marta & Li, Jianrong & Foppiano, Debora & de Krom, Iris & Heikens, Dita & Ludwig, Christian & Biollaz, Serge, 2021. "Sampling, on-line and off-line measurement of organic silicon compounds at an industrial biogas-fed 175-kWe SOFC plant," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 61-71.
    14. Lin, Jui-Yen & Shih, Yu-Jen & Chen, Po-Yen & Huang, Yao-Hui, 2016. "Precipitation recovery of boron from aqueous solution by chemical oxo-precipitation at room temperature," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1052-1058.
    15. Wang, Yujie & Sun, Zhendong & Chen, Zonghai, 2019. "Energy management strategy for battery/supercapacitor/fuel cell hybrid source vehicles based on finite state machine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    16. Wang, Junye, 2015. "Theory and practice of flow field designs for fuel cell scaling-up: A critical review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 640-663.
    17. Pei, Pucheng & Wu, Ziyao & Li, Yuehua & Jia, Xiaoning & Chen, Dongfang & Huang, Shangwei, 2018. "Improved methods to measure hydrogen crossover current in proton exchange membrane fuel cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 338-347.
    18. Li, Wenkai & Zhang, Qinglei & Wang, Chao & Yan, Xiaohui & Shen, Shuiyun & Xia, Guofeng & Zhu, Fengjuan & Zhang, Junliang, 2017. "Experimental and numerical analysis of a three-dimensional flow field for PEMFCs," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 278-288.
    19. Bao, Zhiming & Niu, Zhiqiang & Jiao, Kui, 2020. "Gas distribution and droplet removal of metal foam flow field for proton exchange membrane fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    20. Kim, Sung Han & Miesse, Craig M. & Lee, Hee Bum & Chang, Ik Whang & Hwang, Yong Sheen & Jang, Jae Hyuk & Cha, Suk Won, 2014. "Ultra compact direct hydrogen fuel cell prototype using a metal hydride hydrogen storage tank for a mobile phone," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 382-391.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:117:y:2016:i:p2:p:361-368. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.